Ben Williams

As a jazz fan, you really have to savor the select moments of the Playboy Jazz Festival, which began its 34th installment Saturday at its longtime home, the Hollywood Bowl. Because as a stand-alone, multi-day barometer of the state of the music, the festival doesn't measure up to internationally known siblings such as Newport or Montreux — not that Playboy even tries (only by the most generous definition could some of the past weekend's acts, like Ozomatli, Sharon Jones and Robin Thicke, ever be considered "jazz"). But as an instrument for checking in on the enduring connective power of music, Playboy's diverse and generally party-ready lineup stands on its...

Related "Ben Williams" Articles

As a jazz fan, you really have to savor the select moments of the Playboy Jazz Festival, which began its 34th installment Saturday at its longtime home, the Hollywood Bowl.Because as a stand-alone, multi-day barometer of the state of the music, the...